Exohedral M–C{sub 60} and M{sub 2}–C{sub 60} (M = Pt, Pd) systems as tunable-gap building blocks for nanoarchitecture and nanocatalysis

Transition metal–fullerenes complexes with metal atoms bound on the external surface of C{sub 60} are promising building blocks for next-generation fuel cells and catalysts. Yet, at variance with endohedral M@C{sub 60}, they have received a limited attention. By resorting to first principles simulations, we elucidate structural and electronic properties for the Pd–C{sub 60}, Pt–C{sub 60}, PtPd–C{sub 60}, Pd{sub 2}–C{sub 60}, and Pt{sub 2}–C{sub 60} complexes. The most stable structures feature the metal atom located above a high electron density site, namely, the π bond between two adjacent hexagons (π-66 bond). When two metal atoms are added, the most stable configuration is those in which metal atoms still stand on π-66 bonds but tends to clusterize. The electronic structure, rationalized in terms of localized Wannier functions, provides a clear picture of the underlying interactions responsible for the stability or instability of the complexes, showing a strict relationship between structure and electronic gap.